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Vernon taekwon-do athletes succeed at Nationals

Sundance Taekwon-do brought home five gold, seven silver and 15 bronze medals at National Championships and Team Selections at the Genesis Centre in Calgary last weekend.
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Brianna Li delivers a back kick to her opponent in sparring finals. Becoming the National Champion. (Photo submitted)

The members of Sundance Taekwon-do achieved huge success at the 2018 International Taekwon-do Federation Canadian National Championships and Team Selections at the Genesis Centre in Calgary on Nov. 10- 11.

The Championships featured almost 600 competitors from all across Canada. Sundance Taekwon-do sent a team of 19 competitors and brought home a total of 27 medals. One of their best showings to date, the team brought home five gold, seven silver and 15 bronze medals.

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The event also served as the selections to see who would be representing Canada at the upcoming International Taekwon-Do Federation World Championships in Germany in April 2019. Sundance athlete Brianna Li qualified to represent Canada at the prestigious event and will attend the National Team Training Camp in Montreal in January. Li took home a gold medal in Junior Girls Hyper-weight Sparring, a bronze in Junior Girls Special Technique (Board breaking with flying techniques), and a silver in the Team Sparring category. This will be her second time representing Canada after competing at the 2017 World Championships in Dublin, Ireland.

Sundance Head Coach and Chief Instructor David White was also named to the Canadian National Team as one of six coaches from across Canada.

Also competing in Black Belt competition was Jayden Li who managed to take home a bronze in pre-junior black belt sparring.

In the colour belt competition, Sundance had 17 competitors. Serena Apsassin, 11, won Gold in pre-junior girls blue belt sparring. Her younger sister Olivia Apsassin, 9, took home a gold in Peewee girls blue belt sparring. Eldest sibling Courtney Jack brings back bronze medals in both pattern and sparring in the junior girls’ blue belt category.

Addyson Bartell fought hard for a bronze in pre-junior girls sparring category. Beckham Bongalis took a silver in his bantam male yellow belt sparring.

Jamie Froland won silver in a highly competitive pre-junior boys red belt patterns competition and a bronze in the middleweight red belt sparring. Younger sister Taryn Froland took home the Gold in bantam girls yellow belt patterns. Demitri Hampton took home a bronze in pre-junior boys red melt heavyweight sparring.

Lucas Li was able to take a bronze in bantam boys green belt sparring. Tessa Louis won bronze in junior girls heavyweight sparring. Isabelle Reis took a bronze in pre-junior red belt sparring.

Assistant coach Mario Richard was also in competition taking bronze in both patterns and sparring for the veteran men’s blue belt category. His daughter Shelby Richard also took home two medals winning bronze in the junior girls’ blue belt patterns and silver in sparring. Youngest in the family Shiloh Richard won a silver medal in the bantam girls yellow belt sparring category.

Aurora Roberts took home bronze in both patterns and sparring for junior yellow belt girls. Jack Sharkey also saw great success with two silver medals in patterns and sparring for the Pee-wee boys blue belt division. Rounding out the colour belt competitors was Katia Zaretski with a Gold in junior female blue belt sparring and a silver in the junior girls’ blue belt patterns category.

“This was one of our best showings as a club and we couldn’t be prouder of our dedicated athletes,” said Sundance Head Coach David White.

Sundance Taekwon-Do and its members are looking forward to several upcoming events including the Provincial Championships and the World Championships in Inzell, Germany in April 2019.

Those who would like more information about Taekwon-Do can go to www.sundancemartialarts.com or call 250-306-2285. Classes are now forming.

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Katia Zaretski stands on top of the podium after winning her National Sparring title. (Photo submitted)